After the Corporate Slave Beta and the Top Alpha Married - Chapter 21.2

Most were acquaintances from the business world; gathered together, they had plenty to talk about, and their topic of choice was predictably the same.

Shang Yuanzhou actually got married.

Not only was the partner not the one the elder Mr. Shang had chosen, but he was also a Beta.

“Who exactly is this, Ji Yu? To actually catch President Shang’s eye.” “Never heard of him. We’ll see him today.” “I heard they were high school classmates. I also heard President Shang likes him very much doesn’t hide anything from him.”

Regardless of what they truly thought, everyone spoke politely, offering expressions of shock and congratulations. No one dared to cause trouble at Shang Yuanzhou’s wedding. Even the Ding family, whose engagement Shang Yuanzhou had abandoned, sat properly in their seats, their smiles appearing genuine.

Although that engagement was never officially recognized by Shang Yuanzhou, everyone knew the elder Mr. Shang had favored the Ding family’s Omega, Ding Youlian. With the elder’s intent, everyone assumed it was a done deal. Now, it had suddenly changed to some Beta from the middle of nowhere.

“Sister, I really feel it’s unfair for you.” “Alright, stop it. Mr. Shang never mentioned it, and we never had an official engagement. In his eyes, I’m probably just a stranger he’s met a few times. Besides, it was just the drunken talk of our elders; how could it be taken seriously?”

Ji Hexuan and Ji Bohan were led to their seats. They weren’t at the head table, and almost no one knew them, yet they were well aware of the status of most people present. But right now, neither had any intention of trying to cozy up to anyone. It wasn’t that they thought their brother had hooked a big fish and it was now their turn to be flattered. It was simply that they hadn’t processed it yet. Even sitting at the wedding, they were in a daze. Everything felt surreal, like a dream.

Ji Bohan had wanted Ji Yu to marry for the family’s benefit, but he had imagined someone of similar status to the Ji family or even someone lower, as long as it solidified a partnership. After all, Ji Yu was just an ordinary Beta; he wasn’t destined to bring much profit.

But yesterday, Ji Yu had sent a message inviting them to his wedding with Shang Yuanzhou. If they hadn’t known Ji Yu wasn’t one for jokes, they wouldn’t even have come. Even upon arriving, they were skeptical. But whether it was the photos at the entrance, the large gold lettering on the welcome board reading “Welcome to the wedding of Mr. Ji Yu and Mr. Shang Yuanzhou,” the initials on the massive flower wall, or the layout of the lawn everything told them this was real.

It was like a giant, delicious pie falling from the sky, nearly knocking them unconscious. The brother they had always looked down upon was marrying the most powerful man, Shang Yuanzhou. “A carp jumping over the dragon gate” wasn’t enough to describe this shift in class. In A City, half of the industrial pillars belonged to the Shang family. Beyond A City, they had assets in every industry from real estate to toy manufacturing, hotels, food, travel, either through ownership or investment.

Ji Bohan and Ji Hexuan exchanged a look. Neither spoke. The shock was too great; they didn’t even know what to say.

It was still early far before the official start yet almost everyone had already arrived, wanting to leave a good impression on Shang Yuanzhou. Even if he might not see it, they were willing to flatter him through these small details. Everyone wore a smile, showing no impatience as they waited for the couple to appear.

Meanwhile, Ji Yu, one of the people they were waiting for, was yawning repeatedly. The wedding was far more troublesome than he’d imagined. He had woken up at 5:00 AM and been surrounded by makeup artists painting things on his face he didn’t quite understand. Although Ji Yu’s looks were only “clean and handsome,” his skin was fair and flawless. There wasn’t much a makeup artist could change. But to earn their high fee, they still pursued every detail with perfection.

“You really are so pale.” When they tilted his chin up, it was like holding a handful of snow.

In his sleepiness, Ji Yu blinked blankly. “Thank you?”

According to the schedule, Shang Yuanzhou would pick him up from the hotel and take him to the manor. Other traditions, like “blocking the door” for red envelopes, had been skipped since there were no groomsmen and Ji Yu wasn’t a bride. No one was there to hide his shoes or demand money.

The room held only Ji Yu, the makeup artists, and the stylists. Once finished, they left with their tools. Before going, several of them smiled and said, “Happy wedding.”

Ji Yu froze. A strange feeling drifted through his heart. Though he knew the wedding was fake, they didn’t. They were genuinely wishing him well. So, he offered a slight smile and replied, “Thank you.”

Ji Yu sat alone in the room, using his phone to memorize the steps he needed to take later. There had been no rehearsal; Shang Yuanzhou was busy, and Ji Yu’s hand had been in a cast. The officiant had sent the schedule to Ji Yu’s phone, telling him to memorize it to avoid mistakes.

Enter together, Shang Yuanzhou speaks, Ji Yu speaks, skip parents, skip tea ceremony, exchange rings. Since both were men, there was no need for a proposal on one knee during the ring exchange. Ji Yu noted the order: he would put the ring on Shang Yuanzhou first, then Shang Yuanzhou would do the same for him.

Officiant: “The rest are just standard procedures. Since you are both men, the ceremony is much simpler. Don’t be too nervous; I’ll be there. There might be some improvisation; just follow my lead.”

Ji Yu hadn’t been nervous, but the officiant’s repeated warnings made him so. He hadn’t seen the invitation list, but the glimpse he’d caught that day told him there were many guests. If he messed up in such a setting, the consequences wouldn’t be pretty.

He memorized the message several times. After thinking it over, he asked: “What are the ‘standard procedures’? I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake.”

He waited a moment, but the officiant didn’t reply. Instead, the doorbell rang.

He was wearing a high-end custom suit. His measurements had been taken before he and Shang Yuanzhou got their marriage certificate. Needless to say, it was expensive and the result of countless hours of labor. The stylist had emphasized that the pockets were purely decorative; putting anything in them would ruin the silhouette. So, Ji Yu left his phone on the table and went to open the door.

Shang Yuanzhou stood at the doorway in a silver-white suit. The gem brooch on his chest was far less dazzling than the man himself. Standing against the light, he looked like he was radiating golden rays.

“Are you ready?”

Ji Yu nodded and took his outstretched hand.

The photography team followed behind them, recording them holding hands as they stepped onto the red carpet that led out of the hotel. They boarded a fleet of luxury cars and headed for the manor, which was adorned with flowers and crowded with people.

The officiant was already hyping up the atmosphere. “Now, let us focus our attention and welcome our couple!”

The crowd turned as one. Every unfamiliar face wore a deep smile, and the applause was like thunder. Amidst the grand, passionate applause, Shang Yuanzhou led him toward the stage.

Shang Yuanzhou walked slowly, and Ji Yu had to slow his pace as well. It felt as though every step was cherished and solemn. The process felt infinitely elongated.

Step… step… step… Thump… thump… thump…

The sound of his dress shoes seemed to slowly synchronize with his heartbeat. The wedding music, the guests’ thunderous applause, and the cheers couldn’t mask this small sound.

Caught in the atmosphere, Ji Yu felt for a dazed moment that this was his real wedding. That it wasn’t fake that everything was real. His heart surged with tension at the thought, pounding faster and faster against his ribs, like a fish stranded on shore, thrashing about for an escape. When he felt the warmth coming from Shang Yuanzhou beside him, he slowly began to relax. Like a fish entering the water, he swam happily in the pool, unaware of the danger unaware that this wasn’t a river or a sea, but a private lake.

The steps proceeded one by one. The speeches from Shang Yuanzhou and Ji Yu pieced together a high school story tinged with youthful innocence. If he hadn’t known the script was written by the wedding company and that he was the person involved, Ji Yu would have thought it was exactly what had happened.

Officiant: “Now, let the couple exchange rings.”

The tray holding the ring boxes was brought out, and each took a ring. He would go first, then Shang Yuanzhou. No kneeling required.

Following the steps in his head, Ji Yu looked down and seriously, slowly slid the platinum ring onto Shang Yuanzhou’s ring finger.

Shang Yuanzhou watched as Ji Yu’s long eyelashes lowered, watched him put the ring on his finger. The band settled around his finger, a perfect fit with a slight sense of restraint. It felt like an invisible shackle was now linking him to Ji Yu. He didn’t dislike it; in fact, he reveled in it.

Shang Yuanzhou wanted to gently kiss Ji Yu’s trembling eyelashes. He thought they were adorable so adorable they obsessed him. His heart tightened with a swelling sensation, like a hand was squeezing it so hard it might burst. But it wasn’t a hand, it was satisfaction. Satisfaction so great it made his heart ache.

The officiant reminded him to put the ring on Ji Yu.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, Shang Yuanzhou dropped to one knee and piously placed the ring on Ji Yu’s finger. The nineteen-year-old Shang Yuanzhou and the twenty-five-year-old Shang Yuanzhou seemed to overlap in this moment, both leaving a soft kiss on the ring.

The room was full of distinguished guests; the applause was thunderous. The crowd gasped for a brief second before everyone stood up to cheer. Shang Yuanzhou offered a slight smile amidst Ji Yu’s shocked gaze, then stood back up to stand beside him. Both were in formal wear, both with great physiques broad shoulders, narrow waists, straight legs. One was taller, the other slightly shorter, yet they truly looked well-matched.

Amidst the cheers, the officiant loudly announced the completion of the ceremony. “Our couple may now kiss their beloved!”

“How long the applause lasts is how long they kiss! What do you say, everyone?!”

The chance to tease Shang Yuanzhou didn’t come often. The crowd roared their approval. Ji Yu stood on the stage, his expression momentarily blank.

Wait… wait. This isn’t the same as the agreed-upon schedule… Or rather… is this one of those ‘standard procedures’?!

Had the couples at weddings he’d attended before kissed? Yes… it seemed they had. But was it absolutely necessary for them?

The “little fish” in Ji Yu’s heart blew one shocked bubble after another. He looked blankly at Shang Yuanzhou; they met eyes, both seeing the same surprise at this unexpected turn of events. Everyone was staring, the officiant was urging them on, and the applause never stopped.

Ji Yu bit his lip and moved closer to Shang Yuanzhou.

As he moved, Shang Yuanzhou leaned in as well. His waist was held by a broad, powerful hand, and their bodies drew closer. As Shang Yuanzhou leaned down to kiss him, Ji Yu instinctively closed his eyes.

Soft, dry lips pressed against his. The simple contact made Ji Yu’s entire body shudder. With his eyes closed, his vision gone, he felt only the vivid sensation on his lips.

The passionate applause lasted a long time. Time stretched in the darkness; Ji Yu felt as though he and Shang Yuanzhou had been kissing for a century.

“HAPPY WEDDING!!!”

On the stage, Ji Yu stood with his eyes closed, embracing and kissing Shang Yuanzhou, listening to the grand, passionate blessings echoing through the sky.

Standing with his eyes closed for so long, he felt a wave of dizziness when he opened them. Shang Yuanzhou supported him. “You…”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Ji Yu waved his hand. “My eyes were closed for too long; opening them suddenly made me a bit dizzy.”

Both seemed to deliberately avoid mentioning the kiss. Ji Yu felt awkward and assumed Shang Yuanzhou felt the same. In that moment, Shang Yuanzhou hadn’t thought of anything else; he only thought of one thing during the dizziness.

Wife is so delicate. He’ll probably cry piteously in bed.

“Why did you… kneel just now?” Ji Yu asked in a low voice as they walked.

Shang Yuanzhou’s mind was still full of various thoughts, but his distracted answer was flawless: “Didn’t we say we wanted them to think I’m obsessed with a Beta? I had to put on a show. How much money was spent on the wedding or how luxurious it was won’t stay on their minds; what matters is my attitude toward you. After today, what happened at the wedding will spread throughout the entire circle.”

The ceremony ended, and the venue moved from the manor lawn to the banquet hall inside. Shang Yuanzhou led Ji Yu to toast at every table. In truth, with his status, he didn’t need to toast every table, but Shang Yuanzhou wanted to experience this wedding fully just like any ordinary newlywed couple.

He purposefully took Ji Yu to the Ding family’s table, casually mentioning that the woman there was the one Mr. Shang had wanted him to marry. One of the reasons Shang Yuanzhou had used for the contract involved avoiding that engagement. He did indeed have a prior engagement he had never cared about. Telling a complete lie would easily reveal flaws; an “eight parts lie, two parts truth” approach was what made Ji Yu believe he needed a fake marriage to consolidate power.

Ji Yu nodded. “No wonder someone at that table had such a fake smile.” But that person looked a bit young, like they hadn’t presented yet. The young woman with the graceful smile beside them must be the one Mr. Shang had intended for Shang Yuanzhou. She seemed very gentle; Ji Yu could see her blessing was genuine. Her family, however, likely didn’t feel the same.

When they passed the table with Ji Hexuan and Ji Bohan, Ji Yu didn’t pay them much mind, turning to leave amidst their hesitant looks.

Attending a wedding was easy; being the star of one was exhausting. Over the entire day, Ji Yu followed Shang Yuanzhou in a daze, meeting many people, including others from the Shang family. His smile was nearly impossible to maintain. He was truly not good at socializing; even just nodding and smiling at Shang Yuanzhou’s side was physically and mentally draining. Yet Shang Yuanzhou could converse politely with everyone, remaining energetic all day. Ji Yu was truly impressed.

When they finally returned home, the two were in very different states. Shang Yuanzhou poured him a glass of water. “Rest well. You worked hard today.”

The noise had suddenly returned to quiet calm. Ji Yu didn’t feel any sense of loss; he covered his mouth and yawned sleepily, lazily nestling into the sofa, unwilling to move. Seeing Shang Yuanzhou leave the living room, he suddenly remembered something. “Wait.”

Ji Yu sat up, a look of grim determination on his face. “Don’t we need to leave pheromones?”

On the second day of the marriage, appearing without anything on him would be clearly unreasonable. If Shang Yuanzhou didn’t mention it now, he likely would soon. He might as well get the bite over with now so he could fully relax and rest, rather than being anxious about it.

He turned around and lowered his head slightly, revealing his fair, slender nape to the Alpha behind him. He was submissive and harmless the very picture of a sacrifice.

Shang Yuanzhou’s gaze darkened instantly, becoming deep and unreadable, hiding a lust that could drag prey into a thick swamp. He stepped closer, his hand settling on that patch of fair skin. His calloused thumb grazed it lightly, causing the person beneath him to shudder.

“Don’t touch! Just bite.” Ji Yu’s voice was trembling, as if from fear or shame.

Shang Yuanzhou’s voice was husky, his apology not particularly sincere: “Sorry. I’ve never marked anyone before; I’m thinking about how to start.”

He truly hadn’t marked anyone. But the act of biting Ji Yu’s neck had played out in his mind a thousand times.

Wait… the way he said that… It makes me sound like food.

Just as Ji Yu was about to speak, the sharp, piercing pain on his neck cut off all words.

It hurts.

It felt as though something had pierced his skin. He could even feel his blood slowly trickling out. It hurt so much he couldn’t speak, only taking small, shallow breaths to try and ease the pain.

In contrast, Shang Yuanzhou felt a surge of excitement. He licked the nape of the neck heavily, swiping away a drop of blood, earning a trembling, sobbing refusal from Ji Yu: “Don’t… don’t lick.”

“Is there a lot of blood? Should I wipe it with a tissue?”

Shang Yuanzhou coaxed him in a low voice, “Just a few drops. A bite from an Alpha’s canine won’t bleed much.”

Ji Yu endured it, then couldn’t help but ask urgently, “Are you finished yet?”

“Wait a bit longer.” “A Beta can’t be marked; I need to leave more pheromones.”

Shang Yuanzhou comforted and coaxed him, but in his mind, he wasn’t paying attention to his own words.

Wife is trembling so piteously. And he’s so good.

He had craved this for so long leaving his bite mark on this fair nape. How could he possibly finish so quickly?